January 12, 2021

Oven Baked Beef Tostadas

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Last Updated on January 16, 2022 by Annie

I vote we swap Tacos out for Oven Baked Beef Tostadas and make today a #TostadaTuesday! With layers of crispy corn tortillas, creamy refried beans, spicy taco meat, and some fresh pico de gallo all this tasty tostada is missing is a frozen margarita!

Three oven baked beef tostadas on a white plate with a lime wedge and a small bowl of pico de gallo in the back.

Y’all know the struggle I have faced time and again moving away from Texas and the glorious Tex-Mex. I have worked pretty hard to fill the void with enchiladas, nachos, and even found a vegan taco recipe that does not disappoint. While I have a few dishes that bring me joy, I am far from a dairy-free menu to make Lupe Tortilla proud.

These oven baked tostadas first made an appearance at the MLAD house when an abundance of Turkey Taco Meat left me wondering what I could do differently with this ingredient. These tostadas are a perfect way to reinvigorate leftovers!

WHAT ARE TOSTADAS?

A tostada refers to any dish made with an open tortilla as a base, essentially an open-faced taco. They often have a corn tortilla base and topped with all of the delicious toppings your heart desires.

HOW TO MAKE OVEN BAKED BEEF TOSTADAS

INGREDIENTS

These crispy Oven Baked Beef Tostadas are comprised of a few parts:
-a crispy corn tortilla
-taco meat
-refried beans
-fresh pico de gallo
-extra filling toppings like shredded lettuce and guac.

A white bowl on the left with beet taco meat, a small bowl of creamy refried beans at the top, and a plate with corn tortillas on the right.

MAKE THE TACO MEAT

In a large skillet, over medium high heat cook 1 lb ground beef. Brown and crumble as it cooks.

While the meat cooks, dice one onion. In a small bowl measure 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, and 2 teaspoons salt. Mix together and set aside.

Once the ground beef is cooked through add 1 diced onion and the seasoning mixture into the skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

  • A wooden cutting board with the ingredients for beef taco meat.
  • Beef taco meat in a non-stick skillet with a wooden spoon on a wooden cutting board.

Next, add 8 oz can of tomato sauce to the skillet along with the 2 microplaned garlic pods. Stir and cook on low 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and set aside until ready to assemble the oven-baked tostadas.

PREPARE THE REFRIED BEANS

Rinse and drain 2 cans of pinto beans.

In a large skillet over medium heat add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add diced onion and cook 2-3 minutes to soften.

Add drained pinto beans and 2 pods diced or microplaned garlic. Stir and cook about 1 minute.

Next add 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon paprika to the skillet.

  • Ingredients for refried beans on a wooden cutting board.
  • Beans cooking in a non-stick skillet with a wooden spoon on a wooden cutting board.
  • Creamy refried beans in a non-stick skillet after being blended.

Bring to a boil and lightly press the beans with the back of your spoon. Cover and reduce to low. Cook for about 20 minutes occasionally stirring and pressing the beans with your spoon.

Remove from heat and mash, purée, or blend the beans to your desired consistency. Set aside until ready to assemble your oven-baked tostadas.

MAKE THE PICO DE GALLO

Start by seeding 3 tomatoes. To seed the tomatoes, cut them in quarters length-wise. Scoop the seeds out with a spoon. Then dice the tomato into bite-sized pieces.

Next, dice half of a medium-sized red onion into bite-sized pieces. If you bought a red onion that is the size of your face (been there done that) start with a third of the onion.

Then seed and remove the pith and ribs of 3 jalapeños . To do this, cut the jalapeño in half length wise and scoop out the seeds and the white fleshy parts with a spoon. Then cut into strips and dice into bite-sized pieces.

Next, trim the cilantro and chop into desired pieces.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the diced tomato, diced red onion, diced jalapeño, and diced cilantro.

Next microplane 2 pods of garlic over the bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Mix all of the ingredients together and test with a tortilla chip. Adjust flavors but adding more salt, lime, cilantro, or jalapeño as needed.

ASSEMBLE THE TOSTADAS

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place 6 corn tortillas on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Rub the olive oil in and flip. Coat the other side with olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Flip and bake and additional 8 minutes.

Corn tortillas on a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil.

Remove the sheet pan from the oven and top with 2 tablespoons refried beans and 2 tablespoons taco meat. Bake for 5-8 minutes.

  • A baking sheet lined with parchment paper with corn tortillas topped with refried beans.
  • A baking sheet lined with parchment paper with corn tortillas topped with refried beans and beef taco meat.

Remove from oven and top with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and diced avocado. Feel free to add additional toppings you might enjoy!

An oven baked beef tostada on a white plate topped with avocado and shredded lettuce.

WHAT TOPPINGS CAN YOU PUT ON TOSTADAS?

Just like my Loaded Nachos, these oven-baked tostadas can easily have as many different toppings as your heart desires. Some additional toppings to try on these tostadas are:

Mexican Street Corn Dip
Homemade Guacamole
Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing (from my Crispy Sweet Potato Tacos)

DAIRY-FREE CHANGES TO TOSTADAS

These crispy oven baked tostadas can be made dairy-free mostly by omission. Instead of loading these crispy tostadas up with cheese and sour cream, I simply plop some pico de gallo and shredded lettuce to add a crisp and cool texture to the tostada. Fresh avocado slices or guacamole can help fill the void too.

If you are really hankering for shredded cheese on your tostada I would suggest putting a tablespoon of Vio Life Just Like Colby Jack on top of the refried beans then top with the taco meat and bake.

HOW TO MAKE THESE TOSTADAS QUICKER

Ok, if you just looked at this recipe and said to yourself, “a’int nobody got time for that” I feel you. Busy weeknights happen but that doesn’t mean you can’t get delicious crispy oven baked tostadas for your #TacoTuesday fix. Here are my tips for making these tostadas just a little quicker.

Make some parts in advance. If you want to make it all from scratch prep the beans and the taco meat in advance when you have a little more time. Then when it’s time to make the tostadas all you’ll need to do is whip up the pico de gallo.

Use pre-made refried beans to skip that step in the cooking process.

OTHER DELICIOUS TEX-MEX RECIPES

Crispy Sweet Potato Tacos– Corn tortillas stuffed with seasoned sweet potato and homemade refried beans are oven baked and topped with a creamy avocado cilantro lime ranch.
Turkey Enchiladas– Delicious and dairy free Ground Turkey Enchiladas make the prefect dinner recipe any night of the week!
Turkey Taco Bowls– Taco Lunch Bowls will be your favorite meal-prep lunch option yet!

An oven baked beef tostada on a white plate with a lime wedge.

Did you make these crispy filling Oven Baked Beef Tostadas?? I would love to hear how it went! Leave a comment below or snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy so I can share your life after dairy adventures!

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Three oven baked beef tostadas on a white plate with a lime wedge and a small bowl of pico de gallo in the back.
Print

Oven Baked Beef Tostadas

Crispy, oven baked beef tostadas have layers of crispy corn tortillas, creamy refried beans, spicy taco meat, and some fresh pico de gallo!

Course Dinner
Cuisine Tex-Mex
Keyword Beef Taco, Oven Baked, Pico de Gallo, Taco, Tostada
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Servings 12 tostadas

Ingredients

Taco Meat

  • 1 lb Ground Beef or ground turkey
  • 1 Onion diced
  • 1 tsp. Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp. Cumin
  • 1 tsp. Paprika
  • 1 tsp. Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp. Oregano
  • 2 tsp. Salt
  • 8 oz. Tomato Sauce no salt added
  • 2 pods Garlic microplaned

Refried Beans

  • 2 cans Pinto Beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 Onion diced
  • 2 pods Garlic microplaned
  • 1 c. Water
  • 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp. Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp. Cumin
  • ¼ tsp. Paprika

Pico de Gallo

  • 3 Tomatoes seeded and diced
  • ½ Red Onion diced
  • 3 Jalapeños seeded and diced
  • ¼ c. Cilantro
  • 2 pods Garlic microplaned
  • 1 Tbsp. Lime Juice
  • ½ tsp. Salt

Tostadas

  • 6 Corn Tortillas
  • Olive Oil
  • Shredded Lettuce to garnish
  • Cilantro to garnish
  • Green Onion to garnish

Instructions

Make the Taco Meat

  1. In a large skillet, over medium high heat cook 1 lb ground beef. Brown and crumble as it cooks.

  2. While the meat cooks, dice one onion. In a small bowl measure 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, and 2 teaspoons salt. Mix together and set aside.

  3. Once the ground beef is cooked through add 1 diced onion and the seasoning mixture into the skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

  4. Next, add 8 oz can of tomato sauce to the skillet along with the 2 microplaned garlic pods. Stir and cook on low 10-15 minutes.

  5. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to assemble the oven-baked tostadas.

Make the Refried Beans

  1. Rinse and drain 2 cans of pinto beans.

  2. In a large skillet over medium heat add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add diced onion and cook 2-3 minutes to soften.

  3. Add drained pinto beans and 2 pods diced or microplaned garlic. Stir and cook about 1 minute.

  4. Next add 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon paprika to the skillet.

  5. Bring to a boil and lightly press the beans with the back of your spoon. Cover and reduce to low. Cook for about 20 minutes occasionally stirring and pressing the beans with your spoon.

  6. Remove from heat and mash, purée, or blend the beans to your desired consistency. Set aside until ready to assemble your oven-baked tostadas.

Make the Pico de Gallo

  1. Start by seeding 3 tomatoes. To seed the tomatoes, cut them in quarters length-wise. Scoop the seeds out with a spoon. Then dice the tomato into bite sized pieces.

  2. Next, dice half of a medium-sized red onion into bite sized pieces. If you bought a red onion that is the size of your face (been there done that) start with a third of the onion.

  3. Then seed and remove the pith and ribs of 3 jalapeños. To do this, cut the jalapeño in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds and the white fleshy parts with a spoon. Then cut the jalapeño in strips and dice into bite-sized pieces.

  4. Next, trim and chop the cilantro.

  5. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the diced tomato, diced red onion, diced jalapeño, and chopped cilantro.

  6. Next microplane 2 pods of garlic over the bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

  7. Mix all of the ingredients together and test with a tortilla chip. Adjust flavors but adding more salt, lime, cilantro, or jalapeño as needed.

Assemble the Tostadas

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Place 6 corn tortillas on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Rub the olive oil in and flip. Coat the other side with olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Flip and bake and additional 8 minutes.

  3. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and top with 2 tablespoons refried beans and 2 tablespoons taco meat. Bake for 5-8 minutes.

  4. Remove from oven and top with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and diced avocado. Feel free to add additional toppings you might enjoy!

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Filed Under: Dinner, Lunch, Tex-Mex
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